‰ NOW 30 WPM ‰ TEXT IS FROM MARCH 2014 QST PAGE 52 ‰ OCCASION IN WHICH A BNC CONNECTOR PAIR ON AN EXTENSION OF MY DEPTH SOUNDER TRANSDUCER CABLE NEAR THE BILGE, WHERE SALTWATER ACCUMULATES, HAD TO BE REPLACED. IVE AVOIDED ANY RECURRENCES OF THAT BY THOROUGHLY TAPING THE NEW CONNECTORS WITH GOOD QUALITY PLASTIC ELECTRICAL TAPE. IF THE CONNECTORS ARE PROPERLY CONNECTED, I DONT FIND MUCH CAN GET INTO THE METAL TO METAL CONNECTIONS. THE ONE PRECAUTION I DO TAKE IS THAT WHEN I BUTTON UP THE BOAT FOR IN WATER WINTER STORAGE, I REMOVE THE ELECTRONICS INCLUDING HF AND VHF HAM RADIOS FROM THE CRAFT AND PUT THE BOAT SIDE CONNECTORS IN PLASTIC SANDWICH BAGS SEALED WITH RUBBER BANDS TO KEEP SALTY AIR OUT. AN ALTERNATIVE IS TO SACRIFICE AN UNUSED MATING CONNECTOR ALTHOUGH SOME TYPES ARE HARD TO FIND. MANY OF THESE COAX, POWER, AND SIGNAL CONNECTIONS HAVE BEEN UNCHANGED IN THE 30 YEARS SINCE THIS BOAT WAS NEW. SO, WHILE I CANT SAY THEY WILL LAST FOREVER, I CAN SAY THEY WILL KEEP GOING FOR A LONG TIME. I ALWAYS USE CONDUCTIVE GREASE ON SLIDING TUBING CONNECTIONS THAT ARE PART OF ANTENNAS. I EXPECT THAT THE POINTS OF CONTACT UNDER THE CLAMPS WOULD STAY CONNECTED EVEN WITHOUT SUCH GREASE, HOWEVER, THE GREASE MAKES IT ‰ END OF 30 WPM TEXT ‰ QST DE W1AW ƒ